Candidates vie for election to county Board of Supervisors

October 12, 2011|By Matt Sabo, msabo@dailypress.com | 757-247-7872

These are the last three profiles of candidates running for the Gloucester Board of Supervisors. Six other candidates were previously profiled in the Daily Press after meeting with the newspaper's editorial board.

Bobby Crewe

Bobby Crewe seeks election to a second term on the Board of Supervisors representing the Gloucester Point District. Crewe has declined to meet with the Daily Press to discuss his candidacy.

Crewe was one of four members of the Board of Supervisors who drew voter outrage following the meeting of Jan. 2-3, 2008, when two longtime county officials were dismissed following a closed session and the county's method of school funding was changed with no advance notice.

If elected on Nov. 8, he would be the only one of the four supervisors county residents unsuccessfully attempted to remove from office to remain on the Board. Teresa Altemus was voted out of office in 2009 and Gregory Woodard and Michelle Ressler are not seeking re-election.

At a candidate forum earlier this month, Crewe said he first decided to run for the Board of Supervisors in 2006 when his reassessment rose 123 percent. His two biggest issues at the time were the county's assessment and financial accountability.

He also was concerned about an outdated comprehensive plan and ordinances that didn't match up with the comprehensive plan, Crewe said. Another issue was the county's business system, which he called inadequate, with records for some departments kept on index cards.

The Board of Supervisors needed someone to bring the county into the 21st century, Crewe said.

"I live for the challenge and making things better," he said.

Crewe is a consultant for the U.S. Army, and said he works on the most economical approach to problem-solving, he said.

Roger West

Roger West is a relative newcomer to Gloucester, moving to the county three years ago. He is running as the Democratic nominee for the Abindgon District seat being vacated by two-term Supervisor Christian "Buddy" Rilee, a Republican.

West has not accepted an invitation to meet with the Daily Press editorial board.

West is president of the Gloucester Point Rotary Club and owns a consulting business, Quality Systems Technology. From Oct. 7, 2008, to Jan. 28, 2010 he was a quality manager at Spectrum Communications, a military contractor on the Peninsula, said a company spokeswoman.

At a candidate forum this month, West said he was a senior leader at the Pentagon for 26 years working on the global war on terrorism.

In an email to the Daily Press, West said the backbone of the Board of Supervisors and its decisions should be a four-way test entailing a number of questions, including whether the information presented is the truth and if an action taken will be beneficial for all concerned.

At the candidate forum, West said funding to Gloucester schools should be in a lump sum and not by categories. Categorical funding is a "slap in the face" to Superintendent Ben Kiser and the School Board, he said.

West also described himself as a leader who has met with county and school officials to understand the issues such as affordable housing, infrastructure in the Utilities Department and crowding at Gloucester High School.

West has been noncommittal on how the county should proceed in rebuilding Page Middle School. Decisions made by the next Board of Supervisors will a decades-long effect and whichever decision is made about Page will have to last for 40 to 50 years, he said.

Andy James

Andy James, a longtime resident and former fire chief of Gloucester Volunteer Fire & Rescue Squad, is a well-known candidate for Board of Supervisors representing the Ware District.

James is running as an Independent against Democratic candidate Katie Thompson. Supervisor Gregory Woodard is not seeking re-election.

James has returned home recently following a lengthy stay at a rehabilitation facility. He suffered serious injuries in May when he was thrown from a tractor he was driving on Route 14 after it was struck by another vehicle.

Attempts to reach him and his campaign treasurer, Ted Bartley, were unsuccessful. James has no campaign website and the Daily Press was unable to obtain any campaign literature.